Harness Players Newsletter presented by thestable.ca Vol. 7
Week seven of the Harness Players Newsletter and we had more people join the community this past week. What gets people interested in the racetrack? Is it the horses themselves? For some people I would think that is a big draw. Is it the competition? I personally think that is what makes sports in general so great. Lining up and seeing who is best on the day. We as people love to root for our favorites, be it players, teams, schools, etc. Horse racing is no different. We get attached to a driver or jockey and want to see them succeed. We get attached to a horse that has done well for us or is gutsy in races. I know when I first was introduced to the game 30 years ago it was at a Meadows OTB that opened near where I lived in SW Pennsylvania. I knew after that first night watching the races this was something I was going to love. The horses, the competition, and oh yeah, the betting…..You mean I can decide who is going to win before the race and then bet as such and collect if I am right??? Match made in heaven for me. I loved the challenge of reading the program and trying to figure out who was winning the next race. I loved following the Meadows on TV at home and seeing the horses face each other week in and week out. I loved the connection it created within my family, talking to my uncle about the races. Watching with my brother and our friends, screaming at the TV for the horse we bet to “get up”. It didn’t take long and I was driving up to the OTB for programs, trying to watch races on ‘dial up’ internet. I would see the start, an occasional flash half way through the race and if I was lucky the wire. I didn’t care, I was 100% invested. I loved the racetrack, and I loved racing. I was 20 years old taking my vacation in Lexington so I could go to Keeneland. I doubt many people that age were doing such things. The TVG logo was burnt into my plasma TV it was on so much. It is funny how things you love stay with you no matter how your life evolves. Back in 2016 when young Ray Cotolo was looking for a partner I reached out. Nahupicks.com soon followed when Rod Allums, Jr. entered the mix. Covid derailed our tours but we are still very much doing our thing. Now I just want to get more people involved to see what I see, and hope my passion can rub off so others can get involved in the sport. Here I am 30 years later, all this time and still as invested as ever. So when I say I am living the dream doing all of this (Nahu, podcasts, newsletter, etc), it really is true. I still love it. There is no place I would rather be in the world than at the track.
Anyway….enough about me…
Check out this week with The Stable, a new Harness Players Podcast, a Week Ahead, another Traveling Rallis spot and more. Spot Plays were solid again including a nice $26 winner from Rod Allums, Jr.
Stakes season is coming and so is summer. Thoroughbred subscribers….I know….I know….but subscribe to this thread if you want to keep it going!
~Mikee P
Own a little. Love it a lot
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Upcoming Webinars:
Monday, April 8 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. EST
Saturday, April 27 from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. EST
Monday, May 6 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. EST
Are you considering becoming a fractional owner in harness racing? This 60-minute video call will explain the basics of becoming a client with TheStable.ca: how it works and what to expect. Questions are welcome throughout the session.
Please Note:
Weather permitting, we will be filming the Ohio and Ontario 2YOs over the next 2 days.
There will be a 2YO training livestream from Ohio tomorrow (Friday) at 8:15 a.m. EST. There will be 37x 2-year-old horses in 6 sets.
On Saturday, we will film the Ontario 2YOS at 8:15 a.m. EST. We can't offer a livestream, but the sets will be posted on our YouTube channel by Sunday. There are 10x 2-year-old horses in 3 sets.
Set list (In the set list, please disregard the "sophomore" sets.)
Watch the Ohio livestream on our social media feeds or on our website
If you miss the live feed, the broadcast will be archived and available on our YouTube channel
LOOKING TO OWN A LITTLE AND LOVE IT A LOT?
Horses with shares available that you'll see training tomorrow: (click on name to access pedigree)
ALLYS GOT GRIT (IL-bred trotting gelding) – Set 4, PP3
DANCNINMYSOCKS (OH-bred pacing colt) - Set 5, PP2
FIREANDSHINE (OH-bred pacing filly) - Set 5, PP1
HEZA GRAPE GUY (OH-bred trotting gelding) – Set 6, PP7
MANHATTAN MONI (PA-bred trotting gelding) – Set 6 PP5
MY WICKED HEART (ON-bred pacing filly) - Ontario Set 2 PP2
NEVERLOSE FELIX (PA-bred trotting colt) – Set 2, PP6
SOUTHWIND IDEXX (NJ-bred trotting gelding) – Set 2, PP2
TREVINO ON GREEN - (ON-bred trotting gelding) - Ontario Set 1 PP3
WHATALADYWHATANITE – (IL-bred trotting filly) – Set 4, PP2
If you're considering one of these horses, watch them train and also check out Anthony's most recent 2YO Report Card Part 1 and Part 2 (Horses are listed in alpha order.)
Upcoming Races for The Stable Horses
Harness Players’ Podcast | Fraser Downs + MGM Borgata Leg 4 Preview
This week on the Harness Players’ Podcast, join host Mike Pribozie as he and guest analyst Doug Henwood break down the Early Pick 4 sequence at Fraser Downs for Friday, April 5. Doug gives out his spot plays on the card and promotes his recent Youtube handicapping video posts. Doug also mentions his involvement with thestable.ca.
While there isn’t a formal Thestable.ca segment this week, don’t forget to check out the upcoming webinars on April 8th from 7-8 pm, April 27th from 3-4 pm, and May 6th from 7-8 pm.
To wrap up the show, Edison Hatter, Ray Cotolo, and Kevin Plowcha talk the three divisions for the fourth preliminary of the MGM Borgata Series at Yonkers Raceway, which will go postward on Monday, April 8.
For daily harness racing analysis and selections, be sure to check nahupicks.com for contenders at tracks across North America.
The Week Ahead from Kevin Plowcha
April is here! It's another week of focusing on the big purse money being put on the line at Yonkers. Before we know it, stakes season will be in full swing, the weather will be warmer, and it (hopefully) won't be raining every day. Here's the week ahead!
It's leg 4 of the Blue Chip Matchmaker and MGM Borgata Series at Yonkers Raceway. It sees two divisions of the Matchmaker (April 5), totaling 15 entries, and three for the Borgata (April 8), totaling 18.
BCMM Race 4:
Sink or swim has been the motto for (#2) MIKALA, who has been favored in each of her three previous BCMM efforts. She won two back when placed on the front end, which could be where she ends up here. Other contenders in this race include (#3) DOUGS BABE A who has been improving in each leg and finally put things all together last week. She will take plenty of money. As will (#5) INCASEYOUDIDNTKNOW, who is at the mercy of trip and the fractions. Her late kick can always see her contend.
BCMM Race 9:
A hypercompetitive field of eight sees (#7) KARMA SEELSTER as the slight 2-1 morning line favorite. She gets a driver change to Matt Kakaley who will likely blast her off the car. (#1) LIT DE ROSE has the post edge and is her main rival. She won last week with a good drive from Pat Lachance and should have every chance once again.
Borgata Race 3:
(#5) DESPERATE MAN has been dynamite so far in this series and will look for his fourth win in a row. With early speed types inside, could he get a different trip this week? (#1) DUNKIN' will challenge the big favorite and look to extend his own winning streak.
Borgata Race 4:
A wide-open race here. (#1) PLEASELETMEKNOW gets top ML billing at 2-1. He comes off a 3/30 qualifier at the Meadowlands, where he finished second and fired home in :25.4. He will be racing with Lasix and has the chance to bounce back. Anyone in this short field of six has a chance to win this race.
Borgata Race 10:
(#3) COACHES CORNER is the 2-1 ML favorite in another competitive short field. (#1) ROCKNROLL RUNA A showed versatility last week and now draws inside again, (#2) BACKSTREET SHADOW gets post relief after a nightmarish trip in his latest and will have speed to chase, and (#4) HELLABALOU nearly won last week after firing out. We'll see what version of him shows up.
Cal Expo returns with stakes action this week as the third leg of the California Sires Stakes for 3YOs takes place on Sunday (April 7).
In race three, the fillies are featured. (#5) ANOTHER TUFF WOMAN has won each of the first two legs and is one of two horses in the field with a win so far this year. She will be the likely favorite and the one to beat.
Race seven, for the colts and geldings, features a full field of nine. (#1) CELEBRITY STATUS is also 2-for-2 in sires stakes competition this year, most recently winning leg two at 1-9. He is likely close to that price again, but will have eight other pursuers to try and track him down.
Elsewhere, Miami Valley will be contesting the finals of both the Herb Coven Jr and Ray Paver Sr Memorial finals ($35,000 each) on April 9 and 10, respectively. Pocono Downs begins their Bobby Weiss series for 3YOs on Saturday (April 6), and The Meadows returns to action this week after a scheduled week off for track maintenance, and will begin more late closers.
Finally, Woodbine Mohawk Park will close this edition of "The Week Ahead" with the opening legs of their Ontario Sired Spring Series.
We'll see you next week for another preview of the featured Harness Racing action!
The Traveling Rallis Vol. 2
With John Rallis
To just about anyone who’s watched an ample amount of horse races (whether it be standardbred or thoroughbred), you’d be lying to yourself if you haven’t tried to mimic a race call from your couch (I know I’m guilty of it). The idea of actually calling a race in real time never really popped up in my head, until a recent discussion I had with longtime Rideau Carleton race caller, John Macmillan, where he suggested that I come watch the races in Ottawa, and suggested that I call an overnight event for fun. It got me thinking, ‘maybe race calling could be something I can add to my repertoire?’
I mean, why not?
Last weekend was the first of four consecutive weekends I will be at The Meadowlands working their broadcast, and what better way to break your maiden calling a race than qualifiers?
There were nine of them being held on Saturday morning, and I figured, ‘if I’m going to give it a shot, why not do it now?’
With the blessing of their Hall of Fame track announcer, Ken Warkentin, and Larry Fox, who has recently been calling qualifiers at The Meadowlands, as well as a few cards at Freehold Raceway, I called two qualifiers that morning (#4 and #6).
Let me tell ya… It is not an easy feat whatsoever, but the juices were definitely flowing. First and foremost, qualifiers are arguably tougher to call than an actual race itself, because nobody right-lines until the top of the lane. They will more than likely sit in single-file order for most of the mile, which means you have to try and get creative with things to talk about. In addition, you have to be quick and precise, and even with the lack of movement, for someone with no experience whatsoever, everything becomes a challenge.
I didn’t ace my first try (I don’t think anyone has aced their first race call), but it wasn’t catastrophic, which counts for something, haha. Race calling is an art and I can see why people who do it, absolutely love it. It really gives you an appreciation for anyone who does it, and each caller has their own spin on it. The same way I’ve been privy to working for two of the top standardbred racetracks in North America over the past year, both of them consist of, in my opinion, the top race callers in our sport. The precision and cadence in their race calls are second to none, and they do it with such ease that it’s hard not to admire. Maybe after calling 2000 more qualifiers, I’ll be better equipped to call on a fill-in-basis… But for now, I’ll stick to talking/writing about horses!
Spot Plays for the Weekend of 4/5 and 4/6 presented by Nahupicks.com
Woodbine Mohawk Friday Race 6- (6) Iris Seelster- has been sharp in last two with speed and should be up close again. $ will come for the 9 here but that one was 100-1 in latest.
~Mike Pribozie
Woodbine Mohawk Friday Race 7- (9) Esquire- can be tough in here if he gets sent from this outside post. Hopefully LPR reads the newsletter and gets this memo to send, send, SEND!
~Garnet Barnsdale
Meadowlands Saturday Race 6 (4) Chapercraz (9/2) - Gets away from Lexus Kody after a decent outing, off the shelf. He made almost 500k last year and looks to be in a perfect spot.
~Rod Allums, Jr.
Meadowlands Saturday Race 14 (2) Its Rockin Randy - Todd’s choice in the race of the two winners he drove last week in this series. Worked early, but was in strong after finding the top. Draws well for the final and will look to build on last week’s try. Might not be 9/2 as the ML indicates, but should still be decent betting value with (3) The Will to Play taking a lot of the action
~Edison Hatter
Woodbine Mohawk Saturday Race 10 - (1) Codename Cigar Box paced a fast back half once again last week. He drops multiple classes trying to wake up. Looking for Cullen to get him away closer this week.
~Kevin Plowcha
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